The present invention relates to compositions useful for inducing alignment of a liquid crystal medium with polarized light and liquid crystal display elements.
Most liquid crystal devices, including displays, have a finite pre-tilt angle, controlled, for instance, by the mechanical buffing of selected polymeric alignment layers. Liquid crystal molecules in contact with such a layer align parallel to the buffing direction, but not exactly parallel to the substrate. The liquid crystal molecules are slightly tilted from the substrate, for instance, by about 0.5-15.degree.. For most display applications, a finite and uniform pre-tilt angle of the liquid crystal is desirable. For other display applications requiring predominately homeotropic alignment of liquid crystals, a much higher pre-tilt angle is desired, for instance, 85-89.9.degree.. In these cases, controlling the pre-tilt by a mechanical rubbing process is very difficult.
A new process for aligning liquid crystals with polarized light was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,941 entitled "Process of Aligning and Realigning Liquid Crystal Media". Controlling the pre-tilt angle of liquid crystals in contact with optical alignment layers, while maintaining high uniformity of alignment, is an important requirement for optical alignment materials. Continuing effort has been directed to the development of compositions for optical alignment of liquid crystals and liquid crystal displays.